As a mother of two precious and energetic boys, I can honestly say without a doubt my house is testosterone driven. My boys are more assertive, physical and active than I remember my childhood household of sisters being. A lot is different, while a lot is the same. There is one thing I’m certain of…it’s definitely never dull or quiet in my home and throughout generations children will always love to play.

My kids love being outside, getting dirty, rough housing, running around nonstop with trucks, car, trains, shopping carts and even strollers. While they enjoy manipulatives, transportation and sporty toys like Lego’s, trains and balls; they also yearn to play with toys that foster nurturing and imaginative play. For this reason I say “my boys smell like cookies and dirt.” They enjoy riding their bikes just as much as loving on their baby doll. They are equally excited about building a giant tower as they are pretending to vacuum the house. And I’m okay with it!

It’s not a secret that kids love to play. To our little ones toys are fun and it’s definitely how they like to spend most of their time. I’m thankful for our play room; it’s a place my kids burn what sometimes seems like endless energy, and it can keep them occupied for hours at a time. What kids don’t know and some adults forget is that “just playing” is essential to a kid’s development because kids learn through play and every toy serves a purpose.

From rolling out play dough to building train tracks or putting together a puzzle to having a teddy bear picnic, all of these activities help a child build skills for later in life. It’s important that as children grow they become well-rounded. If you are anything like me I hope my children make a difference, even if small in this great big world. I hope my boys enjoy their careers and even more so are good dads some day. So it only makes sense to provide our kids with inspiration in their world by providing toys of all kinds no matter what gender.

Just like toys are more than just toys…a playroom is more than just a room. A child’s playroom is the space that inspires and directs their learning through play. A well organized and crafted play area sets the stage for interactive play. The following are the skills toddlers and preschoolers learn through play, paired toy options that lay down the foundations for a love of learning:

Problem solving and mathematics- This is where good old fashioned toys like blocks and puzzles come in handy. Blocks help children problem solve by constructing different structures that promote basic math concepts such as figuring out different shapes and sizes of the blocks and how they will fit together.

Gross and Fine Motor – Toys for gross motor skills will help the large muscles in their legs and arms that are used for running, jumping and other activities. While fine motor skills build the muscles in the hands that will be used for writing. Play can provide many opportunities to work on strengthening these muscles without your child even knowing it! The best activities for the development of fine motor skills are Stringing Beads or lacing. Your child can create a beautiful necklace while strengthening the fine motor muscles. Playing with balls are great for gross motor skills. It’s best to get outside and kick or throw a ball around. This is also good for hand eye coordination!
Language and Vocabulary- Vehicles, Animals, Dollhouses and Dolls are awesome toys for speech and language development. Playing with vehicles like cars, trucks and trains or animals provides a platform to learn new vocabulary words. Children enjoy learning the names of each, what they do and even where they can be found. I love watching my boys play out scenarios with their animal figurines or vehicles. Playing with a dollhouse or dolls offers a child the chance to reenact what happens in their world. Some times kids need to play out scenarios and change the ending. Not only helps with language but emotional development too.

Imagination and creativity- To foster creativity and a strong imagination offer toys for both dramatic play and art creations. Dramatic play should include toys that help them pretend. Play kitchens, dress up clothing, and puppets are great for this. Craft don’t have to be elaborately organized or planned. Just having the supplies that bring out their inner artist is what’s important. So make sure you have crayons, paper, stickers or paint.

I understand the importance of my kids having a variety in their play….So for this reason just as much as you will see my boys digging in a sand box you will find them in the kitchen baking a treat. That sums up why my kids smell like cookies and dirt!

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The Playful Parent

The Playful Parent was created in 2016 as a blog to share the joys and craziness of parenting. The founder of The Playful Parent is a full time domestic energizer and has a Bachelors from Marymount University and a Masters in Clinical Counseling from Johns Hopkins University.

SUPER HERO TODDLER TIMEDate: March 21, 2019Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 AMLocation: SkyzoneDetails: Soar into Toddler Time at Sky Zone Waldorf on Thursday, March 21 from 10 am-12 noon for a super awesome special toddler time! Join us as we jump, take pictures with the super hero’s and create a cool craft! Available to walking age – 5 years old. Event PageCost: Price is $13 for first toddler, $10 per additional toddler, $7 per parent. Reusable Sky Socks are $2 per pair.

NATIONAL CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVALDate: March 20 – April 14, 2019Time: All DayLocation: Washington, DCDetails: Details: The best way to get direct information about the National Cherry Blossom Festival is by visiting the official website; where you will find details about the festival and a list of events. What I love best about this festival is, it’s not just about celebrating; the events are really about education and culture. No matter what age or budget there is something for everyone. The festivities start off on March 22, 2019 with a Pink Tie Party; which is a fundraiser. The fun really kicks off the Opening Ceremony on March 23, 2019, this free event will be held at the Warner Theatre and will showcase traditional and contemporary performances from American and Japanese artists. You wont want to miss the popular Blossom Kite Festival on March 30, 2019. Our families favorite that we try to attend annually is the Petalpalooza taking place on April 6, 2019 and last but not least the National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade is April 13, 2019. The events listed above are just the tip of the ice. Visit the National Cherry Blossom Event Page for a list of more events.Cost: FREE

Date: Every Tuesday & ThursdayTime: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PMLocation: Sky Zone Trampoline Park, Crain Highway, White Plains, MDDetails: Toddler Time is a great shared experience for child and parent. A time for your little ones to discover the joy of being active, bouncing under the supervision of their parents, and without interference from the big kids. Visit their website or Facebook Page to find out about special seasonal Toddler Time EventsEvent Type: Parent/childAge Group: Walking to 5 years oldRegistration: Walk-in welcome!Cost: $10 Toddler, $8 Additional Toddler, $7 ParentInformation: SKYZONE TODDLER TIME LINK

Details: Join Kidding Around Yoga with Marcie for an OMazing yoga class designedjust for kids. There will be singing, saluting the sun, jogging, dancing, limboing, kidding around, meditation, breath work, mindfulness and so muchmore! Classes are so fun, even parents like to join in. No prior yoga experience necessary.

Details: Open style sports and semi-organized games. Registration form with parental consent required each school year. Sign-in by youth required each day of participation. Dates and times subject to change. Contact the center for schedule changes.Ages: 8-17

Details: Want to try field hockey to see if it’s for you? Come to our two hour Field Hockey “Try It” class to get introduced to the sport! You will have the opportunity to play and learn about field hockey through the development of core field hockey concepts including proper grips and posture, ball and stick control, tackling, receiving and trapping, passing, and many other fun skills! Sticks and balls are provided.Online registration: http://bit.ly/2TQz75BAge 5-14Resident Fee: $20 • Non-Resident: $22

Details: This story time encourages emerging literacy skills through books, songs, fingerplays, and flannel board stories. It is designed for children of multiple ages and their parents. This is a 30 minute program that includes a simple craft.

ABOUT THE CREATOR OF THE PLAYFUL PARENT

The Playful Parent was created by Kristy a mother of two energetic boys. She has a Bachelors degree with a interest in Secondary Education and Masters in Clinical Community Counseling from Johns Hopkins University. “I believe that children learn through play! I love to do fun things with my children and hope that sharing our adventures provides other families with inspiration and resources that lead to quality time together and a love for learning!” This non profit 501c3 organization was started so parents would have a family friendly place to come to, feel supported and leave with information that is useful. This site is kept advertisement and influence free in order to keep the site from clutter and bias opinion. Your support, feedback, likes and comments are essential; this site was designed to connect the community. The Playful Parent offers resources such as guides, calendars and ideas for making learning fun. In addition, TPP is present in the community and hosts a handful of events to support SOMD in raising healthy families.